Arma 3 storms the gates of Eden with new update

I admire the Arma games--from a great distance. I’m fascinated by hardcore simulations, particularly multiplayer focused ones, but I want no part of participating in them. If you’re the sort who does play these games, there are two things I’d like to say. First, you are a very cool human being. Second, Arma 3’s Eden update is launching today.

The centerpiece of the update is the Eden Editor, a major overhaul of the game’s scenario creation tools. No longer limited to the top-down view, you can now edit a map’s parameters directly in 3D space. A real-time search feature will also allow you to get quickly and easily to the military equipment you want to include.

There’s also now a launcher-based server browser. You can filter by game modes, terrain, player numbers, difficulty, AI level, visibility of weapon crosshairs, or many other minute options to find the server that fits you. The browser will also be directly integrated with the Steam Workshop, allowing you to quickly and easily get at the mods that certain servers require.

Finally, a new audio update enhances the game’s soundscape, with different recordings of weapons and equipment being played and remixed depending on the range. Not a major gameplay change, but it’s a step toward a more immersive experience.

This update paves the way for Arma 3’s first full expansion, Apex, due out in the first half of 2016.